Spanning his entire life and divided into decades from the forties to the nineties, this book brings together Jarman's poetry, prose, memoirs, photographs and film transcripts and includes newspaper extracts on aspects of gay culture. The result is a rounded portrait of homosexuality through the twentieth century seen through a fiercely personal perspective.

At Your Own Riskis angry, entertaining and humane, both a powerful argument against homophobia and a wild celebration of an individual's sexuality and freedom.

Derek Jarman's creativity spanned decades and genres - painter, theatre designer, director, film maker, writer and gardener.

From his first one-man show at the Lisson Gallery in 1969; set designs and costumes for the theatre and ballet (Jazz Calendarwith Frederick Ashton at Covent Garden,Don Giovanniwith John Gielgud at the London Coliseum,The Rake's Progresswith Ken Russell at Teatro Communale, Florence); production design for Ken Russell's filmsThe DevilsandSavage Messiah; through his own films in super-8 before working on features:Sebastine(1976),Jubilee(1978),The Tempest(1979),The Angelic Conversation (1985),Caravaggio(1986),The Last of England(1987),War Requiem(1989),The Garden(1990),Edward II(1991),Wittgenstein(1993), andBlue(1993); to directing pop-videos and live performances for Pet Shop Boys and Suede.

His paintings - for which he was a Turner Prize nominee in 1986 - have been exhibited world-wide.

His publications include:Dancing Ledge(1984),Kicking the Pricks(1987),Modern Nature(1991),At Your Own Risk(1992),Chroma(1994),Derek Jarman's Garden(1995).

Jarman died in 1994 of an AIDS-related illness, aged 52. His garden surrounding the fisherman's cottage in Dungeness where he spent the last years of his life remains a site of awe and pilgrimage for fans and newcomers to Jarman's singular vision.